Cooked fish is easy to clean, if you know “how” to do it! often I noticed people not able to clean properly their fish and this is a pity! how much of good food is wasted! I must do something… I know, for me it’s easy because I practically grown eating fish, but I want to be helpful for somebody, giving a clear idea of the best and easy way to get rid of the bones and fins of a beautiful snapper!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 the fish is in the plate: you can do it in the same plate, putting the fish bones on one side, or get another plate only for the bones.

I like to eat the skin: it is rich of minerals and vitamins! if you don’t like it, you can peel the fish, too. but in the beginning the skin is not your main trouble: we are now going for the fins and the bones!

 

 

 

 Start from the caudal fin: between the belly and the tail grab firmly with the fork and use the knife to make an incision on the skin cutting the skin surface for all the length of the caudal fin, do it in one side only should be enough.

then insert the blade inside looking for the big of this fin tiny bones you’ll find it as the first closer to the belly, use this bone as leverage: as it gush-out from the fish the remaining bones of the caudal fin will follow it!

 

 

 

 the caudal fins will remain together… 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

take them off far from the fish body, or in another plate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 yes, like that!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 let’s go for the dorsal fin: keep the fish body in position with your fork

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 you can start from the dorsal fin bone (the bigger) closer to the fish head: again do an incision cutting the skin for all the dorsal fin length

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 then use the knife blade to move the fin out, from the part closer to the tail going toward the head

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 with small motions you will be able

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 to move away the bones

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 as you can see also the dorsal fin bones will stay together

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and again: take them off far from the fish body, or in another plate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 now we go to open the fish

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 we need to cut the fish skin in its harder spots: close to the tail so make an incision on one side….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 then move the plate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 and make an incision on the other side, too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 now you can insert the blade under the skin and cut the part attached to the tail: if you don’t do it the fish meat will break as you try to open the fish.

 

 

 

 

 

 yes: you must cut the skin here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 turn the plate and look for the line of division between the fish ribs and the dorsal meat: check it with the fork.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 you’ll find a line going all the way from the fish head till its tail

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 again make an incision with your knife going deep to find the fish spine-bone: you will start to separate the meat in this spot keeping the ribs with the fork and moving only the dorsal meat with your knife blade

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 as you see the meat come off clean from bones

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 put the meat far from the fish bones, or in another plate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 you can dress with the Cream of Leek or Mayonnaise before to eat!

let’s go for the ribs meat now

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 with the knife blade go to move the meat off from the ribs, could be helpful grab the spine-bone with your fork,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 pass the blade horizontally to get all the meat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 then insert the knife blade under the spine-bone and close to the fish head and pull,

take the head and the spine-bone off,  far from the fish body, or in another plate:

Buon Appetito!!!